Coal cutting and loading machine



Feb. 10, 1959 F. J. JONES COAL CUTTING AND LOADING MACHINE Original Filed July 18, 1947 14 Sheets-Sheet l T .0 1. G mu \mUN miwQ NmN mnN MM $9 *3 m m3 w? mQ Arm may:

Feb. 10, 1959 F. J. JONES 2,873,100

- COAL CUTTING AND LOADING MACHINE Original Filed July 18, 1947 l4 Sheets-Shea 2 Atl orneys I 14 Sheets-Sheet 3 A m 'rmejs 14 Sheets-Sheet 4 In vent/1r Atlomeys F. J. JONES COAL CUTTING AND LOADING MACHINE Feb. 10, 1959 Original Filed July 18, 1947 NR H M m w a 3. k QNE 24 RV S Q E NN T IIPN. @vun N\ Frni fines MN M m J Harvey:

Feb. 10, 1959 F. J. JONES COAL CUTTING AND LOADING MACHINE l4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed July 18, 1947 WN m H .E I I l I\I. I I I I I I- I I I I I I IIIIllIIIIIIIIIIIlllllfi .|llllll"llllllll E I Feb. 10, 1959 F, J JONYES 2,873,100

COAL CUTTING AND LOADING MACHINE Original Filed July 18, 1947 14 Sheets-Sheet 6 N Mm Q Q gi Q II I I u vents r Fran/ t frfa 7263 A no rney:

Feb. 10, 1959 I F. J. JONES 2,873,100

COAL CUTTING AND LOADING MACHINE Original Filed July 18, 1947 14 Sheets-Sheet 7 I n vento r At lo nzey:

Feb. 10, 1959 v J JONES 2,873,100

COAL CUTTING ANDLOADING MACHINE Original Filed July 18, 1947 14 Sheets-Sheet s Inventor frafljr (fa 07299- A no rneys Feb. 10,1959 F J JONES, 2,873,100

COAL CU'IITING AND LOADING MACHINE Original Fil ed Ju1y l8, 1947 14 Sheets-Sheet 9 17% k Fran/Z: 1/57265 Attorney:

In z/ento r Feb. 10, 1959 F. J. JONES COAL CUTTING AND LOADING MACHINE Original Filed July 18, 1947 14 Sheets-Sheet 10 Inventor I (Z (/572 as Fran/r Attorneys Feb. 10, 1959 F. J. JONES 2,873,100

COAL. CUTTING AND LOADING MACHINE Original Filed July 18, 1947 14 Sheets-Sheet l1 Fran/c Jcfo 7285 Feb. 10, 1959 F; ONE 2,873,100

COAL CUTTING AND LOADING MACHINE Original Filed July 18, 1947 14 Sheets-Sheet 12 w N i E i \N N m w i w a v3 N N: w N N l is 35 E I I N n N N i *N N d Inventor Bunk :[Jones A 4 m may:

WM4M Feb 10, 1959 F. 4. 0m 2,873 1 COAL CUTTING AND LOADING MACHINE p ri ginal lfj led July 18,194? 14 Sheets- Sheet 13 TOP KERF aaarr r-smzs xsep v. a 0 7' TOM KEZF CUTT/A/G- ELEMENT CUTS- THESE I n veutur Attorneys Feb. 10, 1959 JONES I 2,873,100

COAL CUTTING AND LOADING MACHINE Original Filed July 18, 1947 14 Sheets-Sheet 14 United States Patent Ofiice 2,873,100 Patented Feb. 10, 1959 COAL CUTTING AND LOADING MACHINE Frank J. Jones, West Terre Haute, Ind., assignor of one third to H. Dale Baker, West Terre Haute, Ind.

Continuation of application Serial No. 761,849, July 18, 227697 This application April 9, 1954, Serial No.

2 Claims. (Cl. 2629) dust and the frequent occasioning of a bad top, making it hazardous for miners to work thereunder.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a coal cutting and loading machine, which in dispensing with the use of explosives, eliminates to a large measure the necessity of using great stocks of timbers in order to retain faulty tops.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coal cutting and loading machine which in use will lessen the number of miners necessary in a given room or point of operation, thus making it more convenient to work, in contrast to the crowded conditions, miners must work under at present.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a coal cutting and loading machine, which because of the absence in use of explosives, makes it unnecessary in the main to employ timbers, thus saving on coal waste that is driven back behind the timbers during shooting operations.

Even a further object of the invention is to provide a mechanical loader which will remain in a mine room until it is completely worked out, thus saving on wear and tear of machinery, consumption of electric power, etc.

Moreover, an important object is to provide such a machine which can be trammed from one point to another or in operating against a wall of coal, due to the use of an endless track carriage, thus dispensing with the laying and tearing up of trackways.

These and various other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the forward portion of the machine.

Figure l-A is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the rear portion of the machine.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the turntable structure of the machine.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plane view showing (enlarged) the rear portion of the machine.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the puncher and undercutting unit Figure 6 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the punching means.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary top plan view and horizontal section showing the gatherer and conveyor.

Figure 8 is a section taken on line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Figure 7.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the air jack.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through one of the punchers.

Figure 12 is a cross section taken on line 12-12 of Figure 6.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 13-43 of Figure 6.

Figure 14 is a fragmentary end elevational view looking at the right-hand end (see Figure 6) of the puncher unit.

Figure 15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 1515 of Figure 14.

Figure 16 is a fragmentary sectional view of the gear means shown in the right-hand end of Figure 3.

Figure 17 is a fragmentary sectional and elevational view of the control means shown in Figure 3 and taken substantially on line 17-17 of Figure 3.

Figure 18 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the steering brakes, this view being taken on line 18--18 of Figure 3.

Figure 19 is a fragmentary side elevational view and vertical section showing the screw jack for adjusting the inclination of the cutter mechanism.

Figure 20 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line 2020 of Figure 19.

Figure 21 is a section taken substantially on line 21-21 of Figure 2.

Figure 22 is a section taken substantiallyon line 22-22 of Figure 4.

Figure 23 is a horizontal section taken substantially on line 23-23 of Figure 4. I

Figure 24 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken irregularly across the rear end of the machine substantially along line 2424 of Fig.3.

Figure 25 is a section taken on line 25-25 of Figure 23.

Figure 26 is a fragmentary sectional view through the sprocket drive.

Figure 27 is a section .taken on line 27-27 of Figure 26.

Figure 28 is a cross sectional view of the undercutter taken on line 28-28 of Figure 5.

Figure 29 is a diagrammatic view showing the kerf cut by the machine as well as the bottom kerf and hottoms, as if the punchers and undercutting means were removed.

Figure 30 is a diagrammatic view showing the cutting means after it has been trammed into the wall and is about to sweep to the left.

Figure 31 is a diagrammatic view showing the cutters after they have completed the cutting sweep.

Figure 32 is a diagrammatic view showing the undercutting or bottoms remover set for the outward tramming of the machine.

Referring to the drawings, the machine includes an elongated platform 5 supported by an endless track 6, this consisting of an endless traction member 7 at each side of the machine passing over front and rear sprockets 8, 9.

Figure 1 discloses the cutter means which consists of upper and lower toothed cutter chains 10, 11 respectively, which at their inner ends pass over upper and lower sprocket wheels 12, 13 respectively carried by the upper and lower ends of a vertically disposed spline shaft 14.

The spline shaft 14 passes downwardly through a case 15 and also through a spacer sleeve 16 keyed thereto, as

on the armature shaft 23 of an electric motor 24, the

motor 24 being secured to the rear end of the case and having a pair of arms 25 projecting from the rear end thereof and having upturned end portions 26(see Figure 1) having bearing formations thereon receiving trunnions 27 projecting laterally from a gear case 28, in which is a nut 29 on a screw shaft 30, the nut having a gear 31 carried thereby and meshing with a worm 32, the worm 32 being located on a shaft 33 passing through the side portions of the gear case 28 and provided at its ends with hand wheels 34, 35, whereby the worm 32 can be operated and the nut 29 turned to feed the'gear box 28 upwardly or downwardly on the screw shaft 30.

Arms 36 slant forwardly from a base plate 37 on a de pressed portion 38 of the platform 5 and-are attached to and serve to support the case 15, it being shown in Figure 1, that the case 15 has trunnions 39 projecting laterally therefrom and through bearing formations 40 on the upper ends of the arms 36.

Swingable cleats 41 are provided on the platform 5 besides the depressed portion 38 for holding the plate 37 in the position shown in Figure l9.

A bracket 42 is supported by the plate 37 and through the upper portion of this bracket 42 is slidable the lower squared end portion 30:: of the screw shaft 30, the lower end of the screw shaft 30 being provided with a head 43, between which and the bottom of the gear case 28 a coiled compression spring 44 is located.

It can now be seen, that by actuating the hand wheels 34, 35, the gear case 28 can be fed upwardly or downwardly on the screw shaft 30, thus rocking the motor 24 and gear case 15, so as to effect the proper inclination to the cutters 10, 11 as well as the trailing punchers and bottoms cutter to be described hereinafter, and which are shown in Figure '5 The cutting head of the machine comprises on the advance side thereof, the upper and lower cutters 10, 11, above referred to and in addition, a vertical cutter 45. Trailing this particular assembly is (see Figure 5) an upper puncher assembly generally referred to by numeral 46 and a lower bottoms cutter generally referred to by numeral 47. I

The upper cutter 10 includes a cutter bar 48 along which operates a cutter chain 49 having teeth for cutting into the coal. The lower cutter 11 includes a cutter bar 50 along which operates a cutter chain 51, having teeth for cutting the coal and these two cutters cut horizontally, while the cutter cuts vertically.

The inner ends of the cutter bars 48, (see Figure 4) are connected to swivel housings 52, 53 containing the flanged outer ends 54, 55 of tubes 57, 58, which are connected with a frame 59. The housings 52 and 53 have, respectively, integral collars 52a and 53a extending, likewise respectively, downwardly and upwardly and each is keyed to the spline shaft 14.

The swivel housings 52, 53 can be rotated and held in place by pins 60, which are operated by a hand throw lever 61 pivotally mounted on the case 15, as shown in Fig. 2, and are capable of entering any one of a number of openings 62 in a corresponding detent plate 63 affixed to the housing 52, as shown in Fig. 4. The pins are attached to the throw lever 61 by pin and slot connections 64. There is one of these adjustments for each of the swivel housings 52, 53. Operation of the motor 24 will cause a corresponding horizontal swinging movement of the cutters 10 and 11 due to the keying of the sleeve 16 and the collars 52a and 53a to the shaft'14.

For lifting and lowering the lowermost cutter 11, the

lower end'of a feed screw 65 is pivotally secured as at 66 to a frame 67 from which depends a lower tube 58 and this feed screw 65 extends upwardly in the case 15 and in a threaded bore 68 formed in a thickened portion of the case 15. The frame 67 is vertically slidable with respect to the shaft 14 and is prevented from rotational movement by dogs (not shown) extending into vertical keyways 59a formed in the frame 59. An internally threaded gear in the case 15 and on the feed screw 65 has a worm 69 meshing therewith, this worm being located on a horizontal shaft 70 in the case 15 and carries a spur gear 71 and a bevel gear 72, the gear 72 meshing with a beveled gear 73 located on a shaft 74 which extends upwardly at an incline (see Figure 22) through a bearing 75 in one side of the case 15, to terminate at its upper end and outer end with a hand wheel 76. The gear 71 is enmeshed with an intermediate gear 71a which is, in turn, enmeshed with a gear 71b secured to the shaft 20. Obviously by rotating the hand wheel 76, the lower cutter 11 can be adjusted vertically while actuating the wheels 34 and 35 will effect the proper inclination of the cutters'10 and 11, as above set forth.

The outer ends of the upper and lower cutter bars 48, 51 are each provided with a sprocket wheel 77 over which the corresponding toothed cutter chain 49 or 51 is trained; Bridging the outer ends of the cutter bars 48, 50 is a fixed shaft 78, spaced from a tubular shaft 79 by end bushings 80. The fixed shaft 78 has its ends secured to the cutter bars 48, 5t) by machine screws 81. The sprocket wheels 77 are secured to the ends of'the'tubular shaft 79 and the tubular shaft 79 carries circumferentially spaced outstanding cutter teeth 82, throughout the length thereof,'these teeth being preferably staggered, as suggested in Figure 1.

Obviously, as the cutter chains 49, 51 travel in their circuits, the outer sprocket wheels 77 are rotated and thus the outer or vertical cutter 45 is actuated, for performing the back'cutting operation during the sweep of the cutting mechanism.

Trailing the upper and lower cutters 10, 11 are the aforementioned punching assembly 46 and the bottoms cutter assembly 47.

These assemblies 46, 47 are mounted on an adjustable drive assembly generally referred to by number 83, of substantially the same construction as that shown in Figure 4.-

Mounted'upon the head of the drive and adjusting mechanism 83 is a horizontal tube 84 in which a sleeve 85 is disposed and roller bearings 86 are provided between the tube-and the sleeve (see Figure 5).

Extending longitudinally in the sleeve 85 is a bar 87 which also extends forwardly and carries a'plurality of puncher units generally referred to by numeral 88, each of which consists of a cylinder 89 having a piston 90 thereon and a plunger 91 extending from the piston and through the outer end of the cylinder, where it is provided with a punching tool 92, capable of being detached so that it may be sharpened or replaced. Each cylinder 89 is secured to the top of a gear 89a, this gear being mounted for rotation on a stub shaft 8% projecting upwardly from the bar 87, as shown in Figure 11. On the bar 87, for each puncher unit 58, are bearings through which a shaft 95 is journalled. The shaft 95 is connected by a universal joint 96 to a shaft section 97 and by way of a further joint 98 to a shaft 99 disposed through the sleeve 85. Worms 94 are secured to the shaft 95 and mesh with the gears 8911. Each cylinder 89 of the puncher units 88 has an air pressure hose 100 leading thereto and of course a suitable compressor or'air pressure source may be employed for supplying intermittent action to the plungers 91. These plungers may be provided with spring retraction means or they may be operated on a suction-pressure cycle.

On the inner end of the tube 84 are brackets 101, 102, bridged by a member 103, through which the adjacent end of the shaft 99'is journaled. This end of the'shaft 99 is aerator) equipped with a crank arm 104 provided with an outstanding hollow handle 105, this handlebeing slidable on a core 106 and carries with it a pin 107 slidable through the outer end of the crank arm 104 to enter any one of a plurality of spaced openings 108 near the periphery of the member 103, which is preferably of disk shape.

Thus, by rotating the crank arm 104, the units 88 may be rotated horizontally each on its own axis.

In order to rotate the bar 87, carrying with it the puncher units 88, the rear end of the sleeve 85 is provided with a gear formation 109, with which meshes a worm 110, carried by a shaft 111, supported by bearings 112 attached to plate 112a.

The shaft 111, at one end thereof projects through a disk 113 having a plurality of openings therein adjacent the periphery thereof, this disk 113 being supported by a bracket 114 projecting from the bracket 102 (see Figure 6).

The last mentioned end of the shaft 111 has a crank arm 115 (see Figure 6) projecting therefrom and projecting from the arm 115 is a core over which is a slide sleeve 116, the outer end of which is connected to a pin 117 slidable through the core and engageable into any one of the openings of the disk 113 for holding the bar 87 rotated to the desired adjusted position.

The bottoms remover 47 consists of a cutter bar 118 along which operates a chain 119, from which a plurality of cutter teeth project. There are inclined teeth 119a, horizontal teeth 120 and declining teeth 121, as represented in Figure 28. An upstanding arcuate shaped gatherer blade 122, rises from thecutter bar 118 for preventing the loose coal from passing over this cutter assembly 47 and keeping the same within the action of the chain 119 and its teeth 119a, 120 and 121 so that the coal will be moved rearwardly.

The coal that'is knocked down, falls in advance of the cutter 47 and this cutter serves to move the coal rearwardly, until it is within reach of the gathering means shown in Figure 7.

The gathering means which is shown at the left end of Figure 7 consists of an inclined pan 123, having rearwardly projecting wing portions 124, 124 on which are mounted endless gathering units generally referred to by numeral 125. Each gathering unit consists of an endless traveling element 126 having outstanding fingers 127 thereon for engaging and urgingloose coal inwardly and backwardly onto an elongated conveyor generally referred to by numeral 128.

The major portion of each endless traveling element 126 can be trained over rollers 129 or tracks (not shown) and over a sprocket wheel 130, which drives the endless element. Each sprocket 130 is on a. vertical or substantially vertical shaft 131 which extends downwardly and carries a bevel gear 132 and with which engages abeveled pinion 133 on the forward end of a shaft section 134, this being connected by a universal joint 135 to a drive shaft 136, which extends,'as shown in Figure 7, rearwardly and is connected by a universal joint 137 to a beveled pinion 138, which in turn meshes with a bevel gear 139 on a shaft 140, which extends across the conveyor 128. Obviously each sprocket wheel 130 is driven in the same manner as connected with the shaft 140, the shaft 140 having a gear 141 meshing with a gear 142 on a second and parallel shaft 143, which has a friction clutch 144 and are supported upon the upper ends of cylinders 148, of

jacks 149. An under frame 150 has pivotally connected thereto as at 151, the lower ends of piston rods 152, the upper ends of which are connected by wrist pins to pistons 153a in the cylinders 148, and a suitable line to a v suitable pressure Source is provided, theline being denoted by numeral 154. By controlling the line 154, the gathering pan 123 can be raised or lowered to meet demands. As can be seen in Figure l-A, the rear end of the conveyor 128 terminates over the lower end of an elevating conveyor generally referred to by numeral 153 and this extends rearwardly from the machine to pass over a car or other conveyance to be loaded. The forward end portion of the conveyor 153 is pivoted to a shaft 153b mounted upon a yoke 1530 dependent from the platform 5.

As is clearly apparent in Figure 2; the provision of a motor 24 and adjusting means 29, 30 and 33 is provided for the trailing assemblies 46, 47 as well as for the forward cutters 10, 11 and this apparatus is mounted upon the base plate 37 which in fact' is a turn-table having teeth at its periphery.

Mounted in a depression 154a in the platform 5 is a gear 155 carrying a pinion 156 meshing with the peripheral teeth of theturn-table or base plate 37. Mounted within another depression 157 of the platform 5 is a gear 158, secured to a shaft 159 ,which meshes with the gear 155. The shaft 159 extends upwardly through a sleeve or hearing 160 and has a gear wheel 161 at its upper end, the sleeve 160 being carried by a bracket arm 162 secured to the platform 5.

With the gear 161 meshes a worm 163 keyed to a shaft 164. The shaft 164 connects to one side of a hand operated'variable speed drum brake 165 and also has a gear 166 at one end with which meshes a pinion 167 on the armature shaft of a drive motor 168.

The other end of shaft 164 has a pinion 170 that slips out of mesh with gear 171 by moving the same along shaft and out of mesh with the gear 171. A lever may be employed for actuating the pinion. The gear acts to control the endless track. The shaft 172 has brakes 173, 174 near the end portions thereof and being journaled through bearings 175 and 176 on the platform 5.

The rear shafts of the endless track treads 7 have sprocket wheels 177 and the shaft 172 has corresponding sprocket wheels 178, to the end that with sprocket chains 179 trained over corresponding sprocket wheels 177, 178, the endless track carriage for the machine is driven.

Upon the platform 5 is a pair of foot pedals 180, 181, rockably supported. Each pedal has a link'bar connection 182 to a bell crank shaft 183, which in turn has a vertically disposed link bar 184 extending upwardly to connect to an arm 185, which in turn is connected to the brake band of the corresponding brake 173 or 174. Thus it can be seen, that with the endless track carriage in operation, the drive to the treads can be controlled for steering by operating one foot pedal or the other or 181.

For applying the brakes to the endless track carriage simultaneously in order to stop the same and prevent further movement, a hand lever 186 is swingably supported as at 187 and carries a hand operated dog 188 engaging a ratchet 189. A linkbar 190 extends from the lower portion of the hand lever 186 to connect to an arm 190 on a shaft 191 and this shaft 191 has an additional arm 192 at each end thereof with which connects a corresponuding link bar 193, this bar in turn being connected by a pin and slot connection at its upper end, as at 194 with the corresponding brake drum operating arm 185. Thus it can be seen, that by operating the hand lever 186, both brake drums can be engaged simultaneously to prevent tramming of the vehicle.

Also mounted upon the platform 5 is a winch 195 and a clutch 196 therefor which is operated by a hand lever 196a. The winch has a shaft 197 equipped with a sprocket wheel over which a sprocket chain 198 is trained, this sprocket chain being also trained over a sprocket wheel 199 on the shaft 172. Thus the winch 195 can be driven from the same shaft 172.

, The brakes 173,,174are constructed as substantially 7 shown inFigure 18, the same consisting of a drum 20 and a two piece band 201, each band having its lower end portion pivoted as at 202 to a supporting block 203, if desired, while the upper end of one band section has a pair of pins 204, 205 pivoted'therethrough and disposed through corresponding openings of the opposed end of the other band section, the pin 204 having a stop nut 206 thereon, while the pin 205 has a compression spring 207 interposed between the adjacent band ends. The arm 185 has the pins 204, 205 connected thereto as is represented in Figure 18.

As is clearly shown in Figure 7, the rear conveyor or elevator 153 includes a pair of chains 208, 208 and endless carrier member 209.

The chains 208, 208 are engaged by sprockets 210 on a shaft 211 and slidably carried on the shaft 211 by a yoke and bell crank device 212 are bevel gears 213, 214, these being movable to engage one or the other with a bevel gear 215 on a shaft carrying a worm 216, the worm 216 meshing with a gear 217 on a vertical shaft 218, the shaft 218 having a sprocket wheel 219 on the upper end portion thereof and with which is engaged an elongated sprocket chain 220.

Numeral 221 denotes a transversely disposed arcuate shaped platform over which the rear portion of the elevator 153 passes, the bottom side of this elevator being provided with rollers 222 for riding engagement with the platform 221, the forward end of the elevator 153 being pivoted in place so as to allow for this lateral adjustment. Further, the rear portion of the platform is bifurcated, leaving leg portions or furcations 223, 223 between which the rear portion of the elevator 153 can operate.

In order to permit such lateral adjustment of the rear portion of the elevator 153, it can be seen, that the sprocket chain 220 is anchored at one end as at 224 to one end of the transverse platform 221 and extends to a medial point on the platform 221 where it engages an idler sprocket 225. From there it extends to the other end of the platform 221 and around the drive sprocket 219 and from there back to a third sprocket 226 in close spaced relation to the sprocket 225. From this point, the chain extends to the remaining end of the platform 221 where it is anchored as at 227. Thus when the drive sprocket 219 is operated, this arrangement of sprocket chain and sprocket wheels will permit the elevator to be moved to the right or to the left and this is determined by operation ofthe gears 213, 214 through the operation of an elongated rod 227 extending from a hand lever 229.

One end of the shaft 211 (see Figure 3) has a gear. 230 with which a worm 231 carried by the armature shaft of a drive motor 232 meshes and through the medium of this motor 232, the last described mechanism for laterally adjusting the rear portion of the elevator 153 is effected.

Just rearwardly of the foot pedal 180 and 181 is located an operators seat. 233 supported upon a spring member 234, attached to the platform 5.

In the operation of the machine, the same is trammed into the mine room and properly centered with respect to the coal front or wall. The operator in moving the machine into place has power on the endless track and steering is accomplished by pressing on one foot pedal or the other 180 or 181. The resulting drag action effected by the brakes 173, 174 on the caterpillar tracks accomplishes the desiredsteering, it being'apparent that a differential 172:: which is interpolated in the shaft 172, will permit relative movement of one end of the shaft with respect to the other end thereof.

The operator then starts his conveyor 128 and the elevator 153 after he has stopped the machine travel by actuating the hand lever 186, applying both brakes 173 and 174. After disengaging the gear170 from the gear 171, the motor 168 is now started to swing the gear or the chain 220.

turntable, moving thestructure shown in Figure 2 to the right, as shown diagrammatically in Figure 30. The operator now retains the cutting and punching assemblies in this position and the entire machine is trammed forwardly to the extent shown in Figure 30 or to the extent of the cutting assemblies, the cutting assemblies and punching assembly now being in operation. When full penetration has been accomplished, the operator now reverses the drive to the turntable or gear 37 so as to insure a sweep to the left of the cutting and punching assemblies. These assemblies cut through the coal, describing the path shown in Figure 29, the punchers knocking down the coal as the cutting assemblies progress, the cutter shown in Figure 28 and again in Figure 5 and generally referred to by numeral 47, serving to remove the bottoms and conveying the coal cut by assemblies 10 and 11 and coal knocked down by punchers rearwardly to the gatherer shown at the left end of Figure 7. Both cutter chains 10 and 11 operate in a clockwise direction as viewed, for example, in Fig. 32.

When the horizontal removal of coal has been accomplished and the left wall of the-room reached, as shown inFigure 31, the operator or an attendant, leaving the bottoms cutter 47in its normal position, adjusts the cutting assemblies 10, 11 and the puncher assembly 46 to the right, so as to not cut into the left wall of the mine room. With the parts retained in this position and held by the adjustments employed for that purpose, the operator trams themachine rearwardly, while the cutting and punching assemblies are in operation, thus cutting out of the area of penetration. vDuring this operation, the coal isbeing gathered and pushed back to the gathering pan and from there is taken by the conveyor 128, which transfers it to the elevator 153 and from there the coal dumps into a motor car or other vehicle for transporting the coal to a remote selection point.

Obviously, adjustment can be accomplished by the provision of the wheel 76 (see Figure 22), to accommodate the height or thickness of veins being removed. I

The pan forming part of the gatherer shown in Figure 7 can be adjusted by means of the air jacks 149 (see Figure -8).

The entire cutter head can be readily adjusted by means of the hand wheel 35 (see Figures 19, 20) in order to set the cutter head at the desired inclination as when the machine is being advanced on a slope.

In order to accommodate the receiving cars, which in connection with the present invention will probably be steerable motor trucks, the elevator 153 is capable of being swung from one 'side to the other and this is accomplished through the medium of a motor 232, operating In order to reverse the movement of the elevator from one side to the other, the operator shifts the gears 213, 214 by means of the hand lever 229.

It is also desired, that some form of control panel be employed adjacent the operator, whereby the various electric motors can be conveniently controlled, but inasmuch as such means would be conventional, the same is not illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

On the platform is a motor 238, which by way of a in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

' Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

e 1. A coal mining machine comprising a carriage,- a

cutter head assembly including upper and lower'cutters mounted upon said carriage-for rotation about a vertical axis and extending forwardly from said carriage, and a puncher assembly mounted upon the carriage for rotation about a vertical axis and extending forwardly from said carriage, said puncher assembly having its forward and positioned rearwardly of the forward end of said cutter head, said puncher assembly including an elongated carrier arm, gear means for rotating said arm about its longitudinal axis, a plurality of outwardly extending pneumatically operated puncher elements each pivoted at its inner end to said arm, and gear means carried by said arm and connected to said puncher elements for adjustably moving said puncher elements about their pivots.

2. A machine as defined in claim 1 wherein the vertical pivotal axes of said upper cutter head and said puncher assembly are in spaced parallel relation, and wherein means is provided for adjustably rotating said puncher arm upon its vertical pivotal axis toward and away from said upper cutter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

